Cost of Living Comparison Between Lakewood, WA and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Lakewood, WA and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,288 in Lakewood, WA versus $1,232 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,846 in Lakewood, WA versus $2,054 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,404 in Lakewood, WA versus $2,876 in Phuket.

Living in Lakewood, WA is roughly 167% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lakewood, WA is 140% above, Phuket is 10% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.07 $18.07

$4.41 ฿147

309.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.8 $67.8

$32.26 ฿1,074

110.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.17 $11.17

$8.93 ฿297

25.08%

Cappuccino

$4.73 $4.73

$2.90 ฿96.4

63.10%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.57 $2.57

$0.88 ฿29.30

192.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 $2.14

$0.48 ฿16.01

345.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.92 $3.92

$2.35 ฿78.3

66.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.85 $5.85

$3.72 ฿124

57.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.30 $1.30

$1.87 ฿62.1

-30.48%

White Bread (500g)

$4.53 $4.53

$1.47 ฿48.81

208.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.22 $3.22

$1.55 ฿51.7

107.74%

Eggs

$5.06 $5.06

$2.10 ฿70.0

140.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.13 $15.13

$19.59 ฿652

-22.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.75 $8.75

$3.42 ฿114

155.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.24 $11.24

$11.38 ฿379

-1.23%

Apples (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$2.98 ฿99.3

51.34%

Banana (1kg)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.68 ฿56.1

32.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.91 $3.91

$2.21 ฿73.5

76.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.08 $4.08

$2.16 ฿72.0

88.89%

Potato (1kg)

$2.14 $2.14

$1.52 ฿50.8

40.79%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 $2.19

$1.34 ฿44.55

63.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.04 $2.04

$1.13 ฿37.57

80.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.16 $3.16

$0.55 ฿18.19

474.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.37 $12.37

$4.26 ฿142

190.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.82 $15.82

$19.09 ฿635

-17.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 $1.78

$1.78 ฿59.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 $3.30

$2.78 ฿92.6

18.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.95 $1.95

$2.23 ฿74.2

-12.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$204 $204

$22.74 ฿757

796.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 $2.05

$3.03 ฿101

-32.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.65 $0.65

$1.02 ฿34.06

-36.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.77 $28.77

$3.89 ฿130

639.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 $1.36

$1.49 ฿49.63

-8.72%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$35.1K $35.1K

$26.6K ฿884.9K

32.13%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$25.9K $25.9K

$27.0K ฿899.8K

-4.06%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$348 $348

$102 ฿3,411

239.39%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$61.8 $61.8

$11.33 ฿377

445.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.0 $85.0

$17.40 ฿579

388.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.90 $41.90

$52.1 ฿1,734

-19.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.92 $24.92

$11.07 ฿369

125.11%

Cinema Ticket

$19.68 $19.68

$7.69 ฿256

155.92%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$2,038 $2,038

$561 ฿18.7K

263.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.2K $22.2K

$11.5K ฿383.0K

93.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.2 $66.2

$63.0 ฿2,098

5.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.01 $38.01

$29.52 ฿983

28.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 $101

$98.0 ฿3,263

2.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$149 $149

$88.5 ฿2,946

68.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,970 $1,970

$738 ฿24.6K

166.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,730 $1,730

$482 ฿16.1K

258.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,335 $3,335

$2,107 ฿70.1K

58.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,114 $3,114

$1,226 ฿40.8K

154.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,594 $2,594

$3,617 ฿120.4K

-28.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,425 $2,425

$2,603 ฿86.7K

-6.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.1

5.57

9.52%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Lakewood, WA: September 14, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,970 in Lakewood, WA and $738 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $68.0 in Lakewood, WA vs $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $390 vs $274 per month, with Phuket cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Lakewood, WA vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lakewood, WA and Phuket differ by about 167% in total monthly costs ($3,288 vs $1,232 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $4,932 in Lakewood, WA and $1,847 in Phuket to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,970 in Lakewood, WA versus $738 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $32.00 versus $68.0 in Lakewood, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,288 per month in Lakewood, WA versus $1,232 in Phuket – a 167% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,232 in Phuket versus $3,288 in Lakewood, WA, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Lakewood, WA. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Lakewood, WA and Phuket are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 167% less than in Lakewood, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.